Sounding wheeled toy



March 27, 1951 J. F. BRICE 2,546,297

SOUNDING WHEELED TOY Filed June 24, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M will/TOR.

March 27, 1951 Filed June J. F. BRICE 2,546,297

SOUNDING WHEELED' TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II m Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOUNDING WHEELED TOY Jesse 'F. Brice, East Aurora, N. Y., assignor to Brice Toy &'Novelty, Inc., East Aurora, N. Y.

Application June 24, 1949, Serial No. 101,181

v 14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in action or pull toys of the type which may be actuated to produce movement of parts of a figure and drumming or other sounds.

One'of the objects of this invention is to provide a toy of improved construction including a figure with movable head and arms which are actuated to simulate the movements of a player of .a .drum or other instrument. Another object is-toprovide a toy of thistype in which the drum orotherinstrument is intermittently sub ected to a number of beats and which produces a pause after such number of beats, and then resumes the beats. A further object is to provide a toy of this type provided with drum sticks which are moved continuously in an up and down directiomand which are mounted on arms movably supported to successively move into positions in which the drum sticks strike the drum or other instrument and into another position in Which the drum sticks move without striking the instrument. A further objectis to provide a toy of this type including a body portion provided with head and arms, and in which the arms are swung about pivots by movement of the head, and in which the arms are provided with drum sticks which are actuated independently of the arms.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in con- :nection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in sectionof :a toy embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof, on line 33, of Fig. 1.

The toy which is shown in the drawings includes a frame or body member which may be of any suitable construction, that shown including a pair of longitudinally extending panels 5 and 6 connected by means of a plurality of cross members I, 8 and 9. The toy may be used as a pull toy, in which case the frame or body is mounted on front wheels III arranged on an axle II extending crosswise of the body of the toy and on rear wheels I2 rigidly secured to an axle I3 which is rotatableon the rear portion of the body of the toy.

The body may support a drum or other instrument I5 actuated by striking the same, and which may be secured to the body in any suitable manner, for example, by means of nail or pins I6 2 extending through the lower portion of the drum or instrument I5 and into upwardly extending lugs or projections I I of the panels 5 and 6. Any other means for mounting the instrument on the toy may be provided.

The panels 5 and 6 and the cross pieces I and 8 have upwardly extending portions forming the bpdy of a toy figure provided with a head I9 and arms '25 and 2|. The lower end of the head is arranged between the upper ends of the panels 5 ands and is pivoted thereon by means of 'a pivot pin Or wire rod 24 about which the head may swing and the arms 25 and 2| are arranged at the outer surfaces of the panels 5 and 6 and are pivoted to the body by means of a pivot pin or rod 25 extending crosswise of the body. Spacing washers or bushings 26 may be arranged on the pin or rod 25 between the arms and the panels.

Mechanism is provided for imparting motion to the head and arms, this mechanism being preferably arranged in the hollow space formed between the two panels 5 and 6 and the cross members I and 8. In the construction shown for this purpose, the rear axle I3 is provided with a crank portion 21 with which a connecting rod or wire 28 engages, the upper end of the rod being connected with the head at one side of the pivot pin 24. In the construction shown, the upper end of this rodis bent horizontally as indicated at 29 and extends into an aperture in the head spaced in rear of the pivot pin 24. Consequently, as the vehicle is pulled over a floor or other supporting surface, the rotation of the crank 21 of the shaft I3 will cause the head I9 to swing intermittently about its pivot 24. It will be understood that the toy need not be used as a pull toy, since suitable means other than the wheels I 2 may be provided'for rotating the shaft I3.

The arms 20 and 2| of the figure may be moved upwardly and downwardly about their pivot 25 in any suitable or desired manner, and in the particular construction illustrated the arms are actuated by the movement of the head. For this purpose, the two armsare connected by means of a' cross pin 311 which is spaced below the pivot shaft 25 of the arms. The panels 5 and 6 are provided with arc-shaped slots 32 concentric with the axis of the pivot pin 25 and within which the cross pin so may move when the arms 20 and 2| swing about their pivot 25. The slots also serve to limit the extent to which the arms may swin about their pivot. In order to impart movement of the head to the arms, the head is provided with a downwardly extending pin or extension 33, the lower portion of which moves into and out of contact with the cross pin 39 in such a manner as to move this cross pin to the right in Fig. 1 in the arc-shaped slot 3?. when the head swings backward. When the head swings rearwardly about its pivot pin 24, the pin or extension 33 will move into engagement with the cross pin 39 connecting the two arms and move the ends of the arms upwardly. By means of the construction described, the crank 2'! of the axle I3 imparts oscillatory motion to the head and from the head to the arms.

In order to strike blows on the drum or other instrument I5, drum sticks 35 are provided having suitable heads 36 in the outer ends thereof and these drum sticks form parts of crank rods 31 pivotally mounted on the inner surfaces of the arms 29 and 2|. The crank rods 3'! may, for example, be pivotally mounted by mean of staples 38 which may be driven into the arms 20 if the toy is made of wood. Other means for pivoting the crank rods 3'! may be provided, and these crank rods are also provided at their inner ends with crank arms 39 which extend downwardly at an inclination into the interior of the body of the toy and into the interior of the body through the arcuate slots 32.

Suitable means are provided for moving the crank arms 39 intermittently upwardly and downwardly so as to produce corresponding movement of the drum sticks 35. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for providing this intermittent movement of the crank arms 39, and in the construction shown for this purpose, I provide a vertically movable wire member or pitman 49 having the upper end thereof provided with a part which engages the crank arms 39 for swinging the same. For this purpose the upper end of this wire or rod 43 may be bent to form a loop 42 on the upper ends of which the crank arms 39 rest. The ends of the crank arms may extend into this loop. This loop or part is guided for up and down movement in the body member, and this may, for example, be accomplished by means of a downwardly extending guide member or plate 44 arranged in spaced relation to the cross member I. This guide member or plate may have a flange at the upper end thereof which may be secured, for example, by means of .nails 45 to the upper edge of the cross member I. A portion of the loop 42 extends into the space between the guide member 44 and the inner surface of the cross member 1 of the body.

Up and down movemnet of the loop 42 and the wire member or pitman 49 may be provided in any suitable or desired manner, and in the construction shown for this purpose, a crank shaft 46 is rotatably mounted in the panels and 6 of the body of the toy, the lower end of the pitman 40 being rotatably connected with a crank 4! formed on this crank shaft. Rotary motion may be imparted to the crank shaft 46 in any suitable manner, and in the construction illustrated for this purpose, a pinion 49 is secured on the crnak shaft 46 and meshes with a gear 59 secured on the axle l3. Any other means for imparting vertical motion to the pitman wire member 49 and the loop 42 thereof may be provided.

As a result of this construction, the weight of the drum stick 35 and the crank arms 39 causes the crank member to swing downwardly by gravity so that the crank arms rest on the upper surface of the loop or part 42. When the loop is moved upwardly, the crank arms 39 and the drum sticks are raised upwardly away from the drum or instrument l5. When the loop is moved downwardly, the crank arms and drum sticks move downwardly by gravity, so that when the arms 29 and 2| of the figure are in lowered position, the drum sticks will drop so as to impact upon the drum.

In the operation of the toy, if the crank shaft I3 is rotated, as by rotating the wheels I2 when pulling the same over a surface, the rotation of the axle l3 produces corresponding rotation of the gear 50 which drives the pinion 46 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. This causes intermittent vertical movement of the pitman 4B which in turn moves the crank members 3! in such a manner that the ends of the drum sticks 35 will move up and down. By using a relatively small pinion and a large gear 59, the drum sticks will receive a number of up and down motions for each revolution of the axle l3, and the head l9 and arms 20 and 2| will be moved through a single cycle of movement during each revolution of the axle. Consequently, during each oscillatory motion of the arms 29 and 2| there will be a number of oscillatory movements of the drum sticks 35. When the arms are lowered the drum sticks will contact with the instrument l5 a number of times and when the arms are raised, the drum sticks will be oscillated without contacting with the instrument. The toy will, therefore, produce a series of sounds which will be interrupted by a pause followed by another series of sounds. The toy figure will, therefore, closely simulate a drummer who intermittently moves his arms toward and from the drum or other instrument.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art'within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I ciaim as my invention:

1. In a toy, the combination of a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and having a crank portion, a head and two arms pivotally mounted on said frame for oscillatory movement relatively to said frame, a connecting rod connected at one end to said crank and at the other end with said head in spaced relation to the pivotal mounting of said head to produce oscillatory movement of said head during rotation of said shaft, a pin connecting said arms and located in eccentric relation to the pivotal mounting of said arms, and an extension on said head movable into and out of engagement with said pin during oscillatory movement of said head, to raise said arms intermittently.

2. In a toy, the combination of a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and having a crank portion, a head and two arms pivotally mounted on said frame for oscillatory movement relatively to said frame, a connecting rod connected at one end to said crank and at the other end with said head in spaced relation to the pivotal mounting of said head to produce oscillatory movement of said head during rotation of said shaft, a pin connecting said arms and located in eccentric relation to the pivotal mounting of said arms, an extension on said head movable into and out of engagement with said pin during oscillatory movement of said head, to raise soidarios iotorm ttontlnon;ins romontm uotod rod connected at one end to said Crank and at the ther end wi h said hea in spa d relat n to he p votal m un i gof sa d head to pr du e oscil to m vement f s i h d curios! rota tion of said shaft, a pin connecting said arms nd ooa odin. ,o on r ation t e pivotal mou inso s d. on exte io ons id. hoo mov bl into n out of ooeas oon r. pin dur ng o cilla ory. mo m n o s d d, to raise i arms interm t ent y, an ins rumen mounted on sa ame, tick m unted on sa arms or e g gi soidi st" n upon d wn ward m ement of sa d n means for erm tt n m vin said st c s relatively to said arm t o diro id in r m nt,

,4111 a or, the combina i n of a frame, a sh ft-ro atab y mounted on said frame an ha me cran po tion a hoodand wo arms p vtolly m un d, on 'If ame for os latory ov men rel tively to said items, a c nne tin mo. onn cted at ne end to said crank and at theothor ondwit rsaid head inspeced lation to the pivotal untme of sa d head, to produce osc lla r mo men of sai ead during rotation o sa shaf a p n connect n said arms a d ca ed. in eooontri r lation. to hep v a-1mountns of sai arm an ext nsion. on sa d head m v abl into and out of n agement with said pm during oscillatory movement of said head, to raise said arm intermittently, an instrument mounted on said framesticks pivotally mounted on said a m and means actuated by d haf for oscillating said sticks during the movement of Said arms.

5, In a tor, the combination of a frame, a

pair of arms pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement relatively to said frame, a crank -axle mounted on said frame, means cons meeting said crank axle and said arms for ims parting swinging movement to said arms, a drum stickmounted oneach arm'tooscillate relatively to, said arm about an axis extending \substan tially at arig-ht angle to the pivotal mounting of said arm, means for imparting oscillator motion to said drum sticks-independently of the swing: ing movementof said arms, and an instrument mounted on said frame with which said drum sticks contact during a part of the swinging movement of said arms, said drum sticks being moved into a position out of contact with said instrument during another part of the swinging movement of said arms.

6. In a toy, the combination of a frame, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement relatively to said frame, a crank axle mounted on said frame, means conmeet ng sa a k ax e an sa d arms. I01 imparting swinging movement to said arms, a crank member pivotally mounted on each arm to swing in a direction substantially at a right angle to the pivotal mounting of said arms and having one end thereof bent over to form a drum stick and the other end thereof bent to ,form a crank arm, a, pitman engaging said crank; arms for producing oscillatory motion of said crank member, and an instrument on said frame arranged to booontodod by said drum sticks-during a part on y oi he swin ng mov ment of s ida m 7- ;n,,a t y, the combina io of str tus a sha t ota oblv mounteoo sa d frame and avng a cr ok p rt o a ir f arms oiv allv m no d n d rame, a co n c n between o. an port on n saio arms f r sci lat n sa d ar s to produce up and down movement of the out r ends hereof, apairof crank mombors p tally moun ed o said arms, the ute nd o s d crank membe s form drum tic s and he othe ends thereo ionne rank; arms, a second cr nk s ort m unted o said Ir me a i in oon eoto l w h t e rank o aid secndorank shaft and havin par ext ndns n o posi on o en e said crank m f sc ll tn aid c ank memb r f a arm to produc scillatory m on o said d um sti ks, s a n onn ct n said s aft with sa d. s c nd rank haf fo rotatins said e nd c a s aft a a h herra o s eed han said fi s men ioned shaft to produce a plurality or oscillatory movements of said drum sticks for each oscillatory m v men of said arms, an an ins rum m un d n said f ame n p s ti n o b stru k by said drum sticks when the outer ends of said arms are in their lower positions.

8. ov acc din t c aim n wh h sai pitman has a loop formed at the upper end thereof f en a em with s i cr nk m and in Whi sai dy p rtion has a ui v ce r u i g the p er nd of sa pi m n for movement in an up and down direction.

9. In a toy, the combination of an instrument adapted to be actuated by drum sticks, a frame on which said instrument is mounted, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said frame, a ra ha t rot t b v mounted on sa d fram r n m m e m unte o s i a m d ch having one end bent over to form a drum stick n a oth po t n ent t f rm a c an a m, a cra k a e r a a lv m u t on sa d f am and having a crank portion, a pitman connected at One end with said crank shaft and having the other end thereof extendinginto a position to engage said crank arms for turning said crank members to raise said drum sticks out of enga ement with said instrument, said drum sticks nd c an arms d pp y ravi y w n a d ni moo smov l i to i s lower p it n to enab said d m s icks t st ke sa d strum no 10. In a toy, the combination Of a frame ins elud a ho l w b dy portion provided with pa d id s a d cr memb connectin said. s s, an ins rum n un o s d frame and capable of producing a sound when struck, a crank member mounted on said toy and including an angularly extending end portion forming a drum stick and another portion H g a o n a m a c ank shaft ota ablv moo land on said frame, a pitman connected with said ank o sa d c nk shaft for up ddown movement Within said bo said pi man ha n the upper portion thereof formed into loopshape and extending into position to engage said crank arms during upward and downward movement of said pitman to ra se said rank arms and thereb move said drum sticks into and out of engagemo t h sa d ins rume t, a gu d e ormount d on o of sa d ross m mb rs and x nding nt said loop for gu ding e upper po tion of sai pitm o or p and down. m t on illn a t the c m inat on f a r me i leluding a hollow body portion provided with spaced side and ross members connectin ai sides, a pair of arms arranged beyond the outer faces of said sides and pivoted on said body to permit the outer ends of said arms to move up and down, means for oscillating said arms, an instrument arranged below the outer ends of said arms, said instrument producing sound when struck, arcuate slots in said sides arranged substantially concentric with the pivot of said arms, crank members mounted on said arms and each including an end portion bent at an angle to said crank member and forming drum sticks to strike said instrument, the other ends of said crank members being provided with crank arms which extend through said slots into said hollow body portion, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on said body, a pitman having the lower end thereof connected with the crank of said crank shaft for receiving up and down movement therefrom, and a part on the upper portion of said pitman arranged in operative relation to said crank arms for engaging said arms during upward movement of said pitman to swing said. crank members to raise said drum sticks from said instrument, said drum sticks dropping by gravity into instrument striking positions when said pitman moves into its lower position.

12. In a toy, the combination of a frame including a hollow body portion provided with spaced sides and cross members connecting said sides, a pair of arms arranged beyond the outer faces of said sides and pivoted on said body to permit the outer ends of said arms to move up and down, an instrument arranged below the outer ends of said arms, said instrument producing sound when struck, arcuate slots in said sides arranged substantially concentric with the pivot of said arms, crank members mounted on said arms and each including an end portion bent at an angle to said crank member and forming drum sticks to strike said instrument, the other ends of said crank members being provided with crank arms which extend through said slots into said hollow body portion, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on said body, a pitman having the lower end thereof connected with the crank of said crank shaft, for receiving up and down movement therefrom, and a part on the upper portion of said pitman arranged in operative relation to said crank arms for engaging said arms during upward movement of said pitman to swing said crank members to raise said drum sticks from said instrument, said drum sticks dropping by gravity into instrument striking positions when said pitman moves into its lower position, and means for intermittently swinging said arms to move the outer ends of said arms toward and from said instrument, said arms when moved away from said instrument holding said drum sticks out of contact therewith.

13. In a toy, the combination of a frame including a hollow body portion provided with spaced sides and cross members connecting said sides, a pair of arms arranged beyond the outer faces of said sides and pivoted on said body to permit the outer ends of said arms to move up and down, an instrument arranged below the outer ends of said arms, said instrument producing sound when struck, arcuate slots in said sides arranged substantially concentric with the pivot of said arms, crank members mounted on said arms and each including an end portion bent at an angle to said crank member and forming drum sticks to strike said instrument, the other ends of said crank members being provided with crank arms which extend through said slots into said hollow body portion, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on said body, a pitman having the lower end thereof connected with the crank of said crank shaft for receiving up and down movement therefrom, and a part on the upper portion of said pitman arranged in operative relation to said crank arms for engaging said arms during upward movement of said pitman to swing said crank members to raise said drum sticks from said instrument, said drum sticks dropping by gravity into instrument striking positions when said pitman moves into its lower position, a head pivotally mounted on said body to swing toward and from said instrument, means for producing oscillatory motion of said head about said pivot, a pin connecting said arms and extending through said slots, and a downwardly extending projection on said head movable in contact with said pin for producing oscillatory motion of said arms.

14. A wheel toy including a frame provided with a pair of wheels secured to a crank axle, said frame including side panels and cross members connecting said side panels to form a hollow upwardly extending body, said crank axle being pivoted in said side panels and having a crank arranged in said hollow body, a head pivoted on the upper portion of said hollow body to swing lengthwise of said frame, a connecting rod connected at one end to the crank of said axle, and having the upper end pivotally connected to said head in spaced relation to the pivotal mounting thereof for producing oscillatory motion of said head, a pair of arms arranged beyond the sides of said body and pivoted to said panels, said panels having arcuate slots concentric with the pivotal mounting of said arms, a pin connecting said arms and extending through said slots, an extension on said head projecting downwardly into position to contact with said pin for transmitting oscillatory motion of said head to said arms, crank members having the middle portions thereof pivotally mounted in the inner faces of said arms, said crank members having the outer end portions thereof bent at angles to the middle portions to form drum sticks and having the inner end portions thereof bent to extend inwardly into said body and forming crank arms, an instrument mounted on said frame in position to be struck by said drum sticks when the outer ends of said arms are swung into lowered positions, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on said body, a pitman connected with the crank of said crank shaft and having the upper end thereof provided with a part formed to engage said crank arms to swing the same upwardly during upward movement of said pitman, and gearing connecting said axle and said crank shaft and including a relatively large gear on said axle, and a pinion on said crank shaft for producing a plurality of oscillations of said drum sticks for each oscillation of said arms.

JESSE F. BRICE.

REFBERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 233,628 Kyser Oct. 26, 1880 1,693,326 Wagner Nov. 27, 1928- 2,089,885 Fisher Aug. 10, 1937 2,147,600 Fisher Feb. 14, 1939 

